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He fetched his dagger and crouched to cut a lock of her shining black hair from underneath, where it
wouldn t show. The nape of her neck was tender, pale. Leaning forward, he drew the warm scent of her
into his lungs.
Anje snuffled in her sleep.
He ran the lock through his fingers. It was so smooth and slippery, he had to concentrate hard to plait it
into the torques, together with strands of his own. When the task was complete, he slipped the larger
collar around his neck, the smaller around hers. Placing a hand on each, he pressed the silver clasps
closed between finger and thumb. It wasn t orthodox by temple standards, but he didn t have much time.
Kneeling, he bowed his head and slowed his breathing, til all he could hear was the steady throb of the
blood in his body. Deep inside, he formed an image of the living
24 Gift of the Goddess
flame that was Lufra. Humbly, he laid his soul bare before Her, all that he was, and begged Her blessing.
The seconds passed excruciatingly slowly.Divine Mistress, don t turn Your loving face from me. Not
now, when I m so close. I beg You.
He sagged with relief when Her heat answered his call. It started at the base of his spine and spread,
licking his buttocks and genitals, warming his belly and cradling his heart. Lufra s song vibrated deep in
his throat; the silver melted under his fingers, flowed, folded and joined.
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It was done. For good or ill, it was done.
What are you doing?
Anje s narrowed eyes were cold as amethyst and as hard. She put a hand to her torque and tugged.
What s this?
How long had she been awake? It took him a moment to shake free of Lufra s warm embrace. He
blinked once, slowly. A torque. To keep you with us.
Anje pulled harder, fingers fumbling for a catch. They trembled. Magic?
Her struggles were leaving a pattern of fine red lines on the clear skin of her throat. Brin leaned forward
and laid his big hand over hers, stilling it. He made his tone deep and soothing. It s shaman s magic,
Anje. But I swear I mean you no harm by it. He held her gaze. On my life, I swear.
What does it do?
Walk away and find out. Brin smiled thinly. It has a range of about a hundred paces.
All the animation smoothed from her face. It was a fair effort at concealment. Others might find her hard
to read, but to him, her thoughts showed clearly in those violet eyes. He could see the anger there, the
fear and confusion, but also a glimmer of arousal, a white-hot ember. She was fighting not to drop her
gaze below his chin. Poor sweet warrior, they d stripped her of a measure of self-control yesterday and
she d learned to doubt herself. And they were going to do it again and again.
As many times as it took to ready her for the Great Rite in the temple of Lufra.
Though his soul ached for her pain, he could hardly wait to begin again. But she had to come out of it
alive and heart-whole. He d make sure she did.
Even if he didn t.
Anje uncoiled long, supple limbs and rose. Her breasts trembled with each shallow breath and Brin let
his insolent gaze wander. His palms itched.
As she stalked past, he scooped up a shirt and tossed it to her. Without pausing, she snagged it in midair
and left the tent, head held high.
Anje pulled the shirt on over her head as she emerged into the sunlight. It was Trey s. Funny, she could
tell immediately by the light masculine scent that clung to it. Brin smelled darker, spicier.
25 Denise Rossetti
Huffing with irritation, she strode past the pool. Her boots sat in the sun, stuffed with grass to hold their
shape as they dried. Tugging them on, she was too thankful to spurn the thoughtfulness. Because she was
going to run, and run. And run.
She wasn t a fool. Brin made Deklan look like a fumbling boy and as for Trey& There was something
about him, a bravado and a vulnerability, that made her mouth water.
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So she was leaving, as fast and as silently as possible. And once she d completed her duty and delivered
the map, she d track them down, one at a time, and take them apart.
On her own terms.
She increased her pace up the slope until she was almost running. Brin, the arrogant fool, would allow
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